health benefits of brown rice

What is brown rice?

Brown rice is also called 'unpolished rice' and is brown in color. It is actually how all rice would look before it goes through the entire process of polishing. Every rice grain has an outer layer of a slightly stiff cover called the 'hull' or husk. The husk is always removed from the seed for both white and brown rice. Under this layer is a thin brownish layer called the 'bran' layer. This brownish layer on the rice seed clings to the seed and is removed through a polishing process. In the case of brown rice, the brownish bran layer is left intact and only the top stiff cover is removed.

Brown rice is believed to be more nutritious as compared to white rice as, there are many nutrients in the brown layer that normally get taken off in the polishing process. When you cook brown rice, you would need to soak it in water for around 25 minutes to 30 minutes before doing the normal cooking process. If you thought that brown rice would be cheaper than white rice as it is only partially processed, you are wrong. You will find that in most shops and grocery stores, brown rice costs much more than white rice.

What are the health benefits of brown rice?

There are some proven reasons regarding the nutrition benefits of brown rice. The news that brown rice brings positive health benefits is fast spreading and people in many countries have started eating brown rice or at least, a combination of white rice and brown rice. The most important thing about brown rice is that it is rich in fiber which is present in the brown bran layer of the grains. The health benefits of a high fiber diet are being stressed by medical experts and this alone is a very good reason why you should eat brown rice instead of the regular white rice.

The health benefits of high fiber content foods are numerous, it reduces the possibility of heart diseases, helps avoid abrupt spikes in sugar levels, helps digestion and reduces constipation etc. Some medical tests have indicated that the health benefits of brown rice could include controlling high blood pressure. Besides high fiber content, brown rice also contains other nutrients like, B vitamins, manganese, selenium and iron. By eating brown rice, you will also get the health benefits that such nutrients give the human body.

Cooking brown rice.

Most of us are quite used to cooking white rice and the basic concept remains the same when cooking brown rice too. However, when you make brown rice make sure that you allow the rice to soak in the water for around 25 to 30 minutes before turning on the heat. This is the right way to cook brown rice as the grains are a bit more tough and stiff. Soaking in water before cooking the brown rice helps to soften the grains. Cooking the brown rice with too much of water makes the grains stick together and feel like a paste. On the other hand using too little water to cook brown rice will, make the grains too stiff and will also not bring out the full flavour of brown rice. Many cooks would offer advise on how to cook brown rice, but it is best for you to learn the basics and then do the fine tuning to suit your taste.

Brown rice storing tips.

If you look at the brown rice grains, you will notice the brownish bran layer that clings to the grain. In the normal process used to get white rice, this bran layer would be taken off in a polishing process. It is this bran layer that can be affected by prolonged storage and give the brown rice a rancid flavour if stored for more than four to five months. The rancid flavour of brown rice when stored for long periods, is due the natural oils in the bran layer of the rice grains becoming stale. You can increase the shelf life of brown rice by refrigerating the (uncooked) rice. However if you make a direct comparison, white rice has a longer shelf life as compared to brown rice. When you shop for your brown rice, check the manufacturing date on the packet and choose a store that has a high customer turnaround.

brown rice and white rice, a comparison.

Starting off with the external appearance, white rice is white because of the full polish that is given to the rice. Brown rice can be either fully brown or be a lighter shade of brown depending on the extent to which it has been polished or whether it has been polished at all. White rice has the husk and the bran layer removed from the seed whereas, brown rice retains the bran (fully or partially), the husk is ofcourse removed for brown rice as well.

Cooking white rice involves washing the rice and then cooking it, there is no need to soak the rice before cooking. Brown rice on the other hand, should be washed and then soaked in water for around 25 to 30 minutes before being cooked. Soaking is required for brown rice before cooking because, of the bran layer on top of the seed. The soaking process before cooking brown rice is meant to soften the bran layer on the seed.

If you compare the texture of brown rice and white rice after cooking, the brown rice will have a much firmer texture than white rice. It is this nutty kind of flavour that makes people love brown rice once they have tried it. White rice on the other hand gets a little softer when cooked.

Brown rice has an appetising flavour of it's own, on the other hand white rice is often enhanced with other flavours. Some Asian countries have become experts in adding flavour and fragrance to white rice. This is very rarely done in the case of brown rice and the natural flavour of this rice is one of the reasons for it's growing popularity.

White rice has a longer shelf life as compared to brown rice. Brown rice develops a rancid flavour if stored unrefrigerated for more than 5 to 6 months. This is due to the natural oils in the bran layer becoming stale with time. It is something that you should remember especially if you are used to buying and eating white rice and have made a recent switch to brown rice.

Coming to the economics between brown and white rice, one would expect brown rice to be cheaper than white rice as it is rice that has not been completely polished. However, the truth is that brown rice is more expensive than white rice. The reason is possibly because brown rice despite it's growing popularity, has a total consumption that is less than white rice.

Much coverage has been given in this report to the health benefits of brown rice. If you had to compare brown rice and white rice on the basis of nutrition and health benefits, brown rice would surely come out the winner. For the health consciousnes, brown rice would be the obvious choice as many health benefits of brown rice have been medically proved.

Suggestions for eating brown rice.

If you have never eaten brown rice before and would like to make a start, a good idea would be to mix one portion of white rice and one portion of brown rice when cooking. Gradually reduce the proportion of white rice and allow the brown rice to be the major portion in your rice consumption. You will soon start liking the rich nut like flavour and texture of brown rice. Continue with your brown rice diet and if you ever try white rice again, you will immediately feel that it has a bland and starchy flavour that does not impress you. Few people change back to eating white rice after having eaten brown rice for a couple of months.

You might find that some brown rice seeds are very brown while others look like they have been partly stripped of the bran (brown layer). This is because the polish process may be completely left off (fully brown seeds) or partially done. In cases where the brown rice is partially polished, the seeds could appear to have a lighter shade of brown or even appear a bit patchy with brown and white patches. The cooking time and soaking time for the rice might differ based on the extent to which the rice is polished. A little practice would enable you to work out the right amounts of soaking time and the right quantity of water to be added when cooking your brown rice.

The information in this article is aimed at providing general information and awareness regarding brown rice. It is not meant to replace the medical advice of a doctor or health specialist.